MI vs SRH IPL 2023: Mumbai Indians bank on home advantage against Sunrisers Hyderabad | Cricket News – Times of India

Five-time champions need a big win over Hyderabad for a place in playoffs
MUMBAI: “No worries sir, we will make 200 in 13 overs, kya ho gaya (what happened?),” Mumbai Indians’ talisman Suryakumar Yadav said in jest, when prodded about his team’s Net Run Rate being inferior to Royal Challengers Bangalore, and a few other teams, on the eve of the five-time IPL champions’ last league, and must-win game of this season, on Sunday afternoon against wooden spooners Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium.
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It reflected the confidence that the flamboyant batsman and MI are brimming with, in their quest for an IPL playoffs spot for the first time since 2020, even as they stare at a sea of possibilities, permutations and combinations. Stuck in between a gripping, exciting climax to the league stage of IPL 2023 on Sunday, the hosts, jostling with three other teams for a berth in the next round, are desperately seeking a win against a floundering opposition.
A victory would take MI’s points tally to 16, which would enable them to overtake the Rajasthan Royals (0. 148), who too have 14 points right now, but have a better NRR than MI.

After a Marcus Stoinis assault saw them lose to the Lucknow Super Giants in their previous match at Lucknow, MI will look to outplay the struggling Sunrisers in a way that their Net Run Rate (-0. 128) improves significantly too.
They would then hope that RCB, currently on 14 points and with a better Net Run Rate (0. 180), lose to the Gujarat Titans at night, in what would be the final league game of IPL 2023. In that sense, RCB have an advantage since they play last and would know exactly what they need to do to make the cut for the playoffs.
On Saturday, they needed Chennai Super Kings to beat the Delhi Capitals in Delhi, or LSG to lose their final game to the Kolkata Knight Riders (at Kolkata). CSK beat DC.

In a crunch game like this, MI would bank heavily on Suryakumar, who blasted a 49-ball 103 not out to help them to a 27-run win over GT the last time they played at the Wankhede. “It’s just another game for us. We know what we have been doing at the Wankhede in the last four to five games. We know our strengths and we’ll back that,” ‘Sky’ said on the eve of the match.
The fact that MI will be playing their last match at their fortress – the Wankhede Stadium – will certainly fire up the players. “Playing in front of a home crowd is always an advantage. Anybody would want to end the league stage by playing at home and the support will also be good tomorrow. It is important to focus on ourselves and what’s working for us and stick to that,” he said.

Didn’t change anything to find form: Surya
Coming off three consecutive ducks in the ODI series against Australia, Suryakumar rediscovered his form in the IPL with 486 runs in 13 games @ 40.50 and a mind-blowing strike rate of 186.92, in a tally which includes four fifties and one hundred. The Mumbaikar is the top run-getter for MI this season.
“Actually, I did not change anything. I was only thinking (about) what I had done in the last two years which has helped me and worked for me. I stuck to that, be it coming to the nets session or spending time outside with the family or with the teammates,” he said.
“I did not change anything. I knew I was batting well in the nets and everything was going well, and today or tomorrow that knock will be coming soon,” the flamboyant batsman added.

Watch IPL: Mumbai Indians face Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win game